"Guys?" Tiffany called as they entered the house through the back door. "Food calling!"
Jack locked the car, parked on a bit of gravel next to the house, and followed Tiffany through a side entrance. His eyes adjusted in the dimness and saw a nice laundry room - stacked washer and dryer machines and storage - and he followed her dark figure into a short hall that went either way to the dining room and back behind the stairs.
Tiffany went left to the dining room and he saw an ornate oak table with six chairs on what had been the dance floor at the Halloween party. The backyard twinkled with lights through the tall windows.
He turned into the kitchen where she was putting the bags of tacos on the marble island. She stood still for a minute, waiting and listening.
He paused behind her, listening as well…
"What are they doing…?" she whispered.
Music was still playing in the living room, Lana Del Rey, and the candles were still flickering everywhere, their wax bodies slowly burning away -
A door slammed up stairs, feet thundered down a hall, another door slammed - laughter and squealing, more running and laughing.
He glanced back down to Tiffany's face, watching playfulness dance across her lips as she grinned slowly. He couldn't help but chuckle at her excitement, to watch whatever plan she was scheming appear like sparks in her eyes.
"This is our chance," she whispered quickly and urgently as she bent over, her hands moving over her boots. " - they haven't heard us yet, c'mon."
She put her boots under one of the bar chairs at the island and stood straight, a few inches shorter than him now. Smiling wide at the sound of laughter from above them, she took his hand and led him into the living room.
He followed her closely as they snuck behind the couches, seeing no one - Friday the 13th was playing on the tv low, drowned out by Lana's sultry voice. Tiffany checked the corner first before crossing the main foyer to the stairs, still holding his hand behind her as she went up a few steps and stopped on the first landing. In all black, she looked like a cat on the prowl, much like her friends' costumes.
Jack followed her gaze up the stairs, seeing more candles on the steps and in the hallway above, shadows dancing on the dimly lit walls.
They heard a door open, close, and she dropped his hand to move quickly up the steps, peaking over the lip of the last stair to see down the hall. Jack crouched next to her, their eyes darting back and forth, ready to duck.
But Jack took in the whole second floor, his curiosity taking over his thoughts. There were three doors on either side of the hallway, tall and arched - and a door at the end, separated from the others by windows on either side. The walls as well as the doors were made of beautiful dark wood, polished and maintained, like the bones of the house. He saw the shine of the candle light off the door handles, all round, gold, and etched. There were even candle holders between the doors, and on either side of the door at the end…
"Did you know," she whispered after a long moment of still silence, the only movement coming from the burning candles, "...this house is from the mid eighteen hundreds…"
Jack kept his breathing steady, feeling the closeness of her lips as she whispered to him, feeling the truth of her words as he stared forward, feeling the house's oldness.
"Oh yeah?" his throat rasped.
"Used to have more rooms, before it was renovated in the forties. We were told it used to be a row home, a hospital, no one's sure what it used to be...Honey feels all kinds of stuff in here sometimes…"
"Are ya tryin' to scare me too?" he whispered low like a rumble as he turned to her, smirking playfully.
She bit her lip, giggling, "It's got a great scare factor...one of the reasons I bought it."
His eyes betrayed his surprise, and she giggled again as she moved away from his side, creeping forward. She seemed to always move like a dancer, quiet, controlled and graceful, even as she crept to take a spot between the two doors to the right, pressing her back flat to the wall. Jack stayed crouched on the steps, watching her.
Sure enough, the door to her right opened and Racetrack came sneaking out - in only his hat and boxers.
Tiffany smiled wide from behind the door, waiting til Race stepped toward the door across the hall, and then she jumped him.
Racetrack let out a scream - a real horror movie scream - and whipped around at the sound of Jack's booming laughter.
Race's face fell and he stood taller, puffing out his chest unashamedly.
"Oh - Cowboy, there ya are," he glanced at Tiffany, tipping his hat to her. "Miss...we were just uh - playin' ya know - Strip Hide an' Seek...an' I'm losin'."
"Clearly," Tiffany said with a big smile.
"Your hair, looks nice," Racetrack said conversationally, casually. His fingers drummed on the band of his boxer briefs impatiently. He cleared his throat and addressed the house, "Jig is up, fellas, c'mon out...any time."
The door behind Racetrack opened and Mush and Honey emerged, their onesies hanging around their waists and their lips swollen. Honey smiled broadly, still wearing her black tank top.
"Aw is the game over?" Honey purred, winking at Tiffany.
"No way, food break!" Mush shouted.
Other doors opened on either side of the hall and Kiki poked her head around the door, giggling at Race. Jade and Spot came out, and Jack laughed again - Spot was still in his hat, pants and suspenders.
"Does this make me the winner?" Spot eyed Mush with a grin. "I only lost me shirt!"
Jade, with her onesie around her hips and wearing a sports bra, shoved Spot playfully. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him. They were all so drunk, sweaty and stoned. Tiffany and Jack could only laugh and roll their eyes.
"'ey, before the tacos get cold, huh?" Jack shouted as he went down the stairs. He heard the guys' thundering feet close behind him and he laughed as he beat them to the kitchen.
"Thought ya forgot all about us," Mush said as he opened the bags to distribute tacos across the island.
"We were getting cozy," Tiffany said slyly as she pulled a bottle of Prosecco from the fridge.
"Oh yeah?" Spot crooned as he poured the guys whiskeys. His eyes cut up to Jack, grinning devilishly. "Cowboy needs 'cozy'."
Jack, leaning against the long stretch of marble countertop on the back wall of the kitchen with his arms crossed lazily, was watching Tiffany as she came to him, reaching to open a cabinet door. Spot smirked, seeing the way they looked at each other, constantly. And neither shy about it.
She reached for a flute. "Champagne, anyone?"
"I'll partake," Honey said in between a bite of chorizo taco. Her eyes gleamed at her friend, "You like my surprise, T?"
Jack reached past her hand and passed her two flutes. His fingers brushed her wrist as she took them from his hand and her body responded by leaning into his...
"Thoroughly enjoying it, Honey," Tiffany said warmly, her hooded eyes looking Jack up and down before turning her attention to the bottle.
"Holdin' steady, Jackie boy?" Spot murmured as he brought him a whiskey, clinking his glass to Jack's.
"More like holdin' back," Jack answered as he took a long sip. Spot chuckled and Mush tossed Jack a wrapped taco.
They ravaged the hot food, poured shots and beer, laughed as they retold their evening -
"You really do stink at Hide and Seek," Kiki teased Racetrack as she flicked his cap.
"Aren't you cold, Race?" Jade crooned with a laughing smile.
Race, who'd put his shirt back on, laughed incredulously, "You guys have like three fireplaces in this joint, I'm toasty."
"Where'd your nickname come from? 'Racetrack'?" Kiki asked as she reached across for queso.
"Always at the tracks, love," he answered easily as he took a swig of beer. "Well, not so much anymore, but I'm a bettin' man."
Jade laughed, "Must have quite a rep to get that nickname."
Racetrack's eyes slid to Spot, who was grinning, "whether it's a good one or a shitty one is still up for debate."
They laughed as Racetrack punched Spot in the arm.
Jade shook her head as she filled glasses up with water at the fridge. "How was the Charger, Jack?"
Jack finished his third taco and pulled out Honey's key and credit card, reaching over the island to drop them in her hand. "Like drivin' a dream."
Honey grinned and gave Jack a wink as she leaned into Mush. He put his arm around her as he went for his third taco.
"Knew I could trust you with my loves," Honey said, pleased with herself. Her scottish accent was thick with drink, and she winked at Tiffany again, both of them laughing.
They ate all 35 tacos and rehydrated, laughing and teasing each other as they stood around the kitchen island. Tiffany mirrored Jack, leaning forward on the marble on her elbows, their shoulders touching. A couple joints were lit after their food settled and they became lost in a cloud of smoke and laughter. They were completely relaxed, their hands wandering over each other's backs, arms, necks, touching and teasing as they became comfortable, walls coming down.
"When will these beautiful studios be done?" Jade said loudly over the guys - they'd started talking about the worksite.
"Maybe, what, another 2 weeks?" Racetrack said as he passed a joint to Jack.
"Depends on the paint guys," Jack pointed out. "We're off tomorrow, though."
"Is that so," Honey said sneakily, glancing around at her friends. "Well, if Jazzi isn't here to run ya off, we can all get cozy…"
The girls laughed devillishly and the guys gave each other blank looks.
"No complaints here," Mush crooned, leaning in to Honey as she giggled flirtatiously.
"Plenty of food for breakfast," Tiffany offered, looking up at Jack. A warmth passed through his body as she bit her lip again and he grinned at the thought, making her breakfast.
He felt a vibration through the marble, and Tiffany looked down at the phone that was face down next to her elbow. He watched her brows pull together as she turned it over, the screen showing an incoming call.
The caller ID said "DOUCHE BAG".
Her jaw clenched tight, and Jack's eyebrows furrowed too. She clutched the phone tightly as she strode away without a word, her movements rigid and irritated as she turned into the dining room. "Why are you calling me?" she demanded as she held the phone to her ear.
The laughter and voices fell as the girls listened, their eyes following her and their expressions sobering. Tiffany's voice echoed through the spacious dining room.
"I stayed like we agreed, and who picks me up is none of your concern -"
"'Douche bag'?" Jack asked evenly, his eyes on Honey's face. Her expression was cold as stone as she met his eyes.
"Cage," she answered.
The guys looked at each other darkly, each feeling a sickening drop in the pit of their stomachs. Honey left Mush's side to peer around the corner into the dining room.
"She did what they told her to do," Jade said vehemently as she poured more shots. "She came back early, agreed to the new schedule, changed her fucking hair...Greedy assholes...they don't call any of the other girls after hours."
Jade's eyes went to the clock on the oven and she gave a humorless laugh, shaking her head. It was almost one in the morning. "Unbelievable."
Jack bristled at Jade's words and stood straight. Mush watched him carefully, cautioning him with his eyes. Tiffany was quiet for a very long time, and Honey disappeared into the dining room.
"Sucks, doesn't it?"
Jack looked back to Jade, her stunning green eyes pinning him on the spot. Her voice was dry and dark. "That look, in your eyes. This ain't your first rodeo, is it Cowboy?"
Jack bristled again and he took a deep breath, holding his gaze with hers. "No, 's not."
Jade's hand flicked forward, sliding a shot to him. Jack caught it smoothly, downed it, turned and walked away. They heard the front door open and close.
Racetrack let out a big breath, his eyebrows raised as he took his shot. "Talk about a mood killer…"
"Jealousy always gets them," Jade said in a low voice. Racterack, Kiki and Spot watched her as she zipped her onesie up and pulled her long red hair over her shoulder, her eyes downcast. "Happens every time."
Mush and Spot exchanged glances before Mush left them to go find Jack outside.
Spot downed his shot, "'s not jealousy, beautiful." He met Jade's eyes and sighed. "'s fear."
While they cleaned up the mess in the kitchen and the girls waited for Tiffany, Spot had crossed the foyer into a room he hadn't been in, the room to the left of the stairs. It had a wide arched opening to a spacious room that was mostly the left side of the house. The opposite wall was a long flat bay window overlooking the small side lawn and garden, and the room was filled with wooden tables and big comfy seats. In the middle of the room were matching and mirroring brown leather couches facing each other.
Spot went to the window, hands at his shirt as he did the buttons half way up, and his eyes were caught by dancing flames in the reflection of the glass. He turned and saw the archway he'd come through was surrounded by books - the entire wall that spanned the room was dark wood built in bookshelves, filled with books and knick knacks. The woodwork parted next to the couches and he saw a fire in a marble fireplace, its warmth washing over the huge red rug under the couches. He walked between the couches and studied the mantle, the books around it.
It was the biggest study he'd ever seen, and he couldn't help the low whistle that came from his lips.
"You found my father's books."
He looked up at the voice, and saw Tiffany leaning on the couch over his right shoulder. She took him by surprise in two ways - he wasn't expecting her, and in this warm light…
A pang hit him in the chest, an ache. Seeing her smiling gently at him now, tired as she was, it was almost impossible to remember the pain she had been through before, as Ira...the memories were sharp as blades in Spot's mind, and seeing her now he felt what Jack felt - fear of a painful repeat. She was flirting with fire again in this life. He looked away to hide his eyes.
"Yeah?" he said casually as his eyes scanned the books, fascinated. "He loves readin', huh?"
He looked back to her and she smiled a little, the warm tones of the fire highlighting her dark figure. She had wrapped herself in a long black sweater, the darkness of her clothes and hair contrasting drastically with her bright eyes.
"Yes he did... very much. They're all about movies and arts, if you look at the titles... he's in a few of them, too."
She laughed a little to herself, becoming pensive as she stepped towards the wall to touch one of the shelves, her hand lingering there. "Several universities wanted the collection when he died. But my mother and I couldn't part with them."
"Glad ya didn't," he said with respect, grinning at her.
She met his eyes and smirked, "me too...until I had to move them across the country."
He laughed and she smiled brighter at the sound.
"The Western stuff is Jade's," she whispered, reaching toward a white horse on the mantle.
His eyes cut to an old iron horse shoe leaning against a book. "Thought I heard an accent..."
"Southern Texas. Her family owns a horse ranch. We go visit them after Martigras every year."
"Oh man," he said appreciatively. "I can see her with horses."
"She's a sharp shooter," Tiffany said with a knowing smile. "In several ways."
Spot gave her am incredulous look and she laughed.
"We haven't uh…" he felt his cheeks get warm. Spot Colon, blushing. He wanted to punch himself… "asked a lot a personal questions."
She nodded stoicly. "I guess it is the safest avenue to take."
He looked back to her face, her eyes far away and pensive as the flames of the fire glinted in them.
Oh man, he thought to himself. Talk about a doozy of a subject…and the old Newsie rule echoed from his memory: Never fall for a prostitute.
Spot Colon could address a hundred guys, a hundred kids - a word, a look, crack a joke at the perfect timing - and he'd have 'em roaring, at his back in a fight, prowling the city -
But here, with a woman he knew from a previous life somehow, left him questioning everything.
Let alone a gorgeous smart talented woman. It's enough to get anyone tongue-tied.
He took a long deep breath, his palms sweating a little as he watched the fire for a moment. He wanted to comfort her, and do what he could for Jack...He felt as if a spotlight had turned on above him. Just tell versions of the truth…it was like having David's calm common sense in his head.
"Well…'s hard not to get personal when ya catch feelings," he admitted honestly, a good way to start. "'s not like I don't wanna ask her a million questions, an' do everything together -" Reel it in, asswipe. "-'s jus' that I wanna... give her space, too. Your job ain't easy, not matter your reasons for being there... and we know it's a dangerous one too. Especially now a days."
She froze next to him, catching on something he'd said. He felt her eyes on him, studying him for a long, silent moment.
"Guys aren't usually so understanding."
He looked over at the change in her tone - it was ice cold, and her eyes were intent and bright on him, like a tiger's. A look had come over her face, one Spot had seen before. Chills went up his back, sensing the vibes she was sending.
Oh fuck she's pissed.
He kept his voice even and intentional, "Let's just say we've seen what happens when rich fuckers try to own other people."
"And just how much do you guys know, exactly?"
He thought about Jack's deja vu moments he'd had with her. He hadn't been kidding.
But he held his poker face, even as he revealed himself. "Honey told ya, right? That we know 'im. Your pal Cage."
"He is anything but," she said evenly, holding his eyes with hers fiercely, unwavering. He sensed protectiveness, the same temper he'd once known as her's...but more controlled now, more calculating.
"And yes, to answer your question," she said a bit cooly. "I found that bit of information a little too interesting to ignore."
"You're protective of your family," Spot said, eyes narrowing as he read her. "I respect that. If you threw us out right now that'd be that. But as a man from Brooklyn, I tell ya on my word: we do know him, but from…" his eyes fell, seeing Kid Blink's smiling face in his mind. His voice almost caught in his throat, "a different time."
Tiffany kept him under her huntress stare until she'd seen whatever truth in his eyes. Her face softened.
"We hate seein' him like this," he confided. "He wasn't like this when we were younger. I know that may be hard to believe, considerin' he's a complete tool right now."
"The lifestyle brings out the worst in people," she said softly, comfortingly. "I believe you. Seems like both our families aren't used to trusting outsiders."
"'s not a bad thing," Spot agreed. "An' not to talk ill of my brother...but Jack is definitely the protective type. Can't blame a guy for that."
Sadness and understanding swam around in her ocean eyes, "I didn't think something like this would happen while...balancing several things at once." Her hands moved to her hair, twirling a strand between her fingers. "I - can't go into detail...but my leash just got shorter. And they like to remind me who's holding it."
Spot's body went rigid, his hands clenched into fists in his pockets.
He could hear the same dark anger in her voice as she spoke quickly, "I can't have them exposing me and the girls to the school. So for now, I have to do as they say."
"'s a tight spot to be in," Spot said bitterly.
"I knew what I was signing up for," she said in a low voice, a determination behind it. "But it's not fair to Jack."
Spot weighed his words carefully. "Jack's...been through the wringer before. He's just nervous of a repeat."
Her eyes studied his for a moment, taking in his words. "I know we don't know each other but - I know I don't want to hurt him."
Spot directed his body towards her, his eyes fixed to her face. "He worries for you, doll face. He's not thinking of himself at all, and if he ever goes down he goes down swingin'. But these guys don't play fair games and he knows that. An' I think you do too."
She read his eyes. "I wish I could be more honest...It's complicated -"
Spot took her hand in his and lifted it to his lips, kissing her knuckles softly. He looked back into her eyes.
"He ain't fragile, Tiffany. No need to rush anything, yeah?"
She sniffed and nodded, looking away from him as he let her hand drop. She closed her eyes to the fire's warmth.
"I don't want to lose anymore," she said, her voice thick. "I don't want to grieve anymore."
He nodded, remembering she'd lost her mother too... Such a strong, confident dancer who carried herself with her chin held high, with such overwhelming grief on the inside. He saw a tiredness she had kept hidden reveal itself in her eyes. She was good at hiding.
"It's like I tell Jack."
She met his eyes again and he grinned at her. "One day at a time."
She grinned back at him. "Thanks for letting me put you on the spot, Spot."
He laughed and she smiled. He could hear the girls moving into the living room across the foyer. The guys must be outside with Jack.
"Well...Jack doesn't forget stuff fast, but he can be distracted."
She laughed and he smiled at her reaction. He heard the front door open, and saw three shadows cross the floor to the living room. "C'mon, let's go get a drink an' be distractin'."